Theif of Light
by Mysfit Chyld
Summary: Paige is a theif. When she starts noticeing strange things happening to her favorite bladeshe doesnt pay much attention, at least until she meets Tristan and the four former students from Winding Circle. Is there something more to her than meets the eye?
1. The theif

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you may possibly recognize. The ones you dont are MINE!!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~* "Bring forth the next," a white bearded man called from behind a table. In front of him sat a pot of black ink and a variety of pointed instruments. A young women, 16 years old, was roughly pushed towards a chair that stood in front of the old man's table. She did not fight the guard as he pushed her into the chair and strapped her right arm to the armrest. She did not kick like the others when he strapped her ankles to the chair's legs.  
  
'What an odd girl,' the guard thought as he stood up.  
  
"Hand," the old man said absently, looking at the wide array of tool that sat before him. He picked up a large needled tool and took the offered hand in his own. He noted that it was not tense as most others were during this time. He looked at the owner or this strangely placid hand. His tired brown eyes met tranquil gray ones.  
  
"Such a pity to mark such a lovely hand," he said as he placed his chosen instrument back on the table.  
  
"Warren?" the old man called.  
  
"Sir?" the guard who had prepared her asked.  
  
"How many after this one?" the old man asked motioning to the girl.  
  
"She is the last sir. Sorry to keep you so long today," he answered smartly.  
  
"Very well. If she is the last then you may leave. She does not seem to be violent," the old man said.  
  
"Sir. Do you think that wise? You can never be sure with her type," Warren said with obvious disgust.  
  
"I am sure Warren. You may go home to your family."  
  
"But sir."  
  
"No! Go! I will be just fine," the old man said with a twinkle in his eye. "I'll be sure to lock up."  
  
"Yes sir," Warren said his discomfort about leaving the old man with the girl apparent.  
  
Warren glared at the girl and slowly walked out of the room. When the old man was sure that the guard was gone he turned back to the girl. She had put her head down a bit and her strait, jet-black hair had fallen into her face like a vale.  
  
"Those can't be comfortable," he said, referring to the bands that secured her to the chair. He did not receive a response.  
  
Swifter than the man thought possible the girl pulled her hand off the table and deafly undid the holding bands. When she was done however she remained seated.  
  
"Well in any case, as I said before it is a shame that I have to mark such a pretty hand with the 'X' of a convict. Would you allow me to do more than just the 'X' on your hand?"  
  
The girl pushed her hair behind her ears and nodded, smiling slightly.  
  
"Well alright," he said happily. "Don't flinch though. This will hurt."  
  
The girl sat perfectly still though the entire process. The only sign of discomfort she showed was the constant pressure she applied to her bottom lip.  
  
As the old man began pulling other colored inks from under the table he asked, "so young lady, what is your name?"  
  
She did not respond and so he quietly began to color the design he had placed on her hand. When he finished and looked at the girl she returned his gaze with not a single tear in her eyes.  
  
"There now. All done," he said as he began to clean his tools.  
  
The girl lifted her hand and gazed at the pattern that he had placed on the webbed skin between her thumb and index finger. It was still the jailhouse 'X' but it was much prettier than any tattoo she had ever seen. People paid money to get one that didn't look half as good as this. The 'X' was made with an open grate (kinda like a gazebo type pattern). Inside the grate a vine snaked through. On the vine grew 5 closed flower buds.  
  
She sat there staring at her hand for minutes, her hair once again shielding her face from view. She lightly brushed the tattoo with her index finger and flinched slightly as pain stabbed through her hand.  
  
"Oh. Don't touch it," he said sympathetically. "It will be soar for about 2 days."  
  
The old man took her newly tattooed hand in his again. The girl saw a brown mist form in his hand. Slowly the mist settled on her tattoo and the pain eased.  
  
"Don't tell anyone I did that," he said. "But seeing as how you don't talk much I am sure my secret is safe with you."  
  
The girl once again pushed her hair out of her face and grinned at the old man. He smiled back as he stood up to walk around the table.  
  
"Paige," a small but strong voice said.  
  
The old man stopped his hand halfway on the door handle. "Excuse me?"  
  
"My name is Paige," the girl said standing.  
  
Paige shook out her black worn and patched breeches, her overly lard black tunic. She walked to where the old man stood and smiled at him again.  
  
"Thank you so much for this," she said as she raised her tattooed hand. "And for stoppin' the ouch."  
  
"You are quite welcome Paige. But remember," the old man said as he cupped his and to one side of his mouth, "Its our secret."  
  
"Yep. Our secret," she said as she walked out the door. She disappeared into the shadows and the old man thought, 'must have been on a night raid then they picked her up.' He turned to lock the door and as he did he could feel someone watching him. As he turned around and started walking to his house he heard a jingling sound. H stopped to get a better idea of where the jingle was coming from, but the sound stopped when he did. The old man put his hands in his pocket and pulled out two copper coins along with a torn piece of tunic. On it, written in blood, was "Old man. Thank you again for my lovely 'X'. I will be the envy of all that bear the mark of a caught thief.' It was signed with a P.  
  
'She's good. I didn't even feel her put those coins in my pocket,' the old man thought as he continued to walk home.  
  
Paige sat on a roof watching the old man as he walked down the street. She smiled to herself and rose to her feet.  
  
'Now to get my blades and Dark Fyre.'  
  
Silently she jumped form the roof to the street and walked in the direction of the guards' station where she knew they had taken her belongings.  
  
As Paige walked she planned out what she was going to do. She decided she wouldn't waist time looking for her tack. It was useless to her and a burden to care for.  
  
'Alright.I'm gonna get Dark Fyre out first so he is read if I need to make a hasty get away. Then I'll see if I can just sneak into the station and not have to deal with any of the guards. I'll get my stuff and be gone before any ones the wiser,' she thought triumphantly. 'Oh who am I kidding? My plans never work the way I want them to anyways.'  
  
She reached the station about 10 minutes later and quietly sneaked around to the other side of the building.  
  
Dark Fyre was tethered between two posts. Obviously he did not like the capture any more that she did.  
  
'Silly horse. He must have bit someone.or someones.' she added on an after thought.  
  
If she knew her horse, he had probably bitten anyone who came close enough.  
  
She picked up the sharpest rock she could find and headed over to her mount. He stood there silently giving her a look that said all to clearly, 'what took you so long?'  
  
"Sorry. But wait 'til you see what I got," she whispered to him as she cut his ropes with the rock she found. She got through half of them before her patients wore out and she hurled the rock into the shadows.  
  
"You can break through the rest. Make it quick. I'm gonna need you when I'm done getting my knives."  
  
Her copper gelding shook his black mane in reply and then set to work biting through the ropes that still bound him.  
  
"Good boy," Paige said giving her horse another pat.  
  
She walked to the side of the building and crept through a window that had been left open in hopes of catching a slight breeze. She looked around the room and realized she was in the very storeroom she wanted to be in. She pulled her 7 blades out from under the cluttered mess as quietly as she could. She put the first two in her boot sheaths. The next two went into wrist sheaths. One went in the sheath she had around her waist. Once it was secure she swung it to her back and slid her tunic over it so that is rested undetected at the base of her back. The next went into the obvious sheath she wore around her left thigh. The last hid in a sheath that was strung onto a chain. It rested nicely between her breasts. It was her favorite blade. The handle was engraved with her name and a blood red ruby sat at the end. Her father had been a rather wealthy sword maker before his death, and it had been her 10th birthday gift.  
  
Just as the blade fell into place a guard walked in.  
  
'Damn it. He must have heard me. Why did they have to put my knives under all that crap?' she thought as the guard came towards her, sword raised.  
  
"Just let me go. I don't want to hurt you," she said her hand reaching for the only obvious blade she had.  
  
He scoffed at her, and took a few more steps daring her to do something.  
  
"You hurt me? It seems to me that you are mistaken. Let me clarify things for you. One, I am a soldier. Two, you are a thief. Three, I have a sword. And four, you have a single knife."  
  
As he finished he laughed and took another step closer to her.  
  
"Well the only things I learned from you are how to count to four and that you know the difference between my choice in weapon and yours," Paige said shaking her head as if ashamed. "Its really sad just how little you know."  
  
This did exactly what she believed it would. The soldier charged her, sword above his head prepared for an overhead swing. Not reaching for the knife her hand hovered over; Paige drew her two blades from her boots. Experience taught her to draw the weapons that would be harder to reach first. The soldier brought his sword down and Paige knocked it to the left as she moved right. H regained control of his sword and swung it at her. She dodged it, but not quick enough and felt the blade bite deep into her left shoulder. She threw her right blade into the soldier's left arm and quickly shifted her left blade to replace the one she had thrown. The soldier dropped his sword, unable to hold up the weight now that his arm was injured. He pulled the blade out and charged Paige with her own weapon.  
  
'Smart,' she scolded herself as she dodged his attacks. 'Give him something lighter to attack you with so he can move faster.'  
  
She blocked some of his attacks but dodged most of his assaults. When she heard movement from outside the supply room door she threw her other knife into the keyhole jamming the lock. The other guards banged on the door. Paige heard them cursing when they realized they couldn't unlock the door.  
  
While the guards at the door occupied Paige the soldier took this opportunity and sneaked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her placing her bloody knife to her throat.  
  
"See I told you that you were no match for me," the soldier boasted. "And look, you have been caught once already," he said looking at her left hand. "Must not be a good thief either."  
  
'I'll show you very good,' Paige thought to herself.  
  
The soldier slid his hand that was not holding the knife around her waist, pulling her closer to him.  
  
"You are very good looking though."  
  
He slowly raised his hand up her stomach, between her breasts and up her neck. The soldier lightly brushed her cheeks with his fingers before letting is hand travel down the same path that it had traveled up.  
  
"Why don't you give up being a thief. There is other ways a pretty girl like you could make some money," he whispered in her ear as he nuzzled his face into her hair. "I know I would pay you."  
  
Lightning quick Paige reached down her shirt and pulled out her ruby crowned dagger. The gem flared and the soldier pulled away covering his eyes and cursing. She came up to him and sliced his throat. Warm blood splattered her hair, face, and cloths. She retrieved her blade that the soldier was holding and tried to wipe off the dried blood. She cleaned her ruby dagger (blood as she called it) and climbed out the window.  
  
'Stupid soldier. Now I gotta get a new knife,' Paige thought to herself angrily.  
  
She placed her index finger and thumb to her lips and whistled. Dark Fyre came around the corner at a gallop and stopped beside Paige. With skill that showed much practice, Paige mounted and rode down the empty street, her pale hands and face glowing against the black of the sky that her cloths blended into.  
  
Paige rode at a steady gallop until she reached the city's outskirts. She slowed Dark Fyre to a trot then eventually to a walk. When they reached a cliff face Paige dismounted and pushed aside a few branches from a bush. Behind hid an opening into the mountain. Paige entered it and walked through a series of tunnels. Left, Right, Right, Right, Left, Right, Left, Left, Right, Left, Left, Right. She turned in the last tunnel and emerged into a cavern. This cavern looked like a house. Cooking over a fire was Paige's mom. When she looked up she let out a small cry and ran to her daughter.  
  
"Paige! Paige your home!" her mother cried grabbing her daughter by the shoulder and hugged her.  
  
"Yes Mom I'm home," Paige said keeping her voice from showing the pain she was in.  
  
"Paige. What happened? You're covered in blood," Sarah, Paige's mother, said pushing Paige back by the shoulder and taking in her daughter's appearance.  
  
Paige was just about to answer when Zailer walked in.  
  
"Zailer! Paige is back," Sarah said moving Paige to the table and pushing her into a chair. "Lets get you cleaned up a little," she said to her daughter.  
  
"Hey sis," Zailer said.  
  
"Don't you 'hey sis' me!" Paige said standing up.  
  
Sarah, who had been carrying a bowl or warm water and a cloth to the table, moved so that Paige could get by. She knew better than to get in the way when her two children got into fights. She set the water and cloth on the table and sat in a chair to watch.  
  
"What did I do Paige? Don't yell!" Zailer yelled back defensively.  
  
"I'll yell if I want to. It's your fault that I haven't been home for two days!"  
  
"How is it my fault?!" Zailer interrupted.  
  
"It's your fault I have this," Paige said holding up her hand to show her 'X' tattoo. "It's your fault I have one less knife. And its your fault that I got hurt!"  
  
"You got hurt?" Zailer asked, his anger draining as his worry for his sister began to rise.  
  
"Yes I got injured," Paige said calming down as well.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"My shoulder."  
  
"Let me see," Sarah said breaking through the silence that had taken over since Paige's reply.  
  
Paige slowly lowered her tunic's sleeve and revealed her shoulder.  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry," Zailer said.  
  
"Your sorry now," Paige snapped as she felt her anger begin to rise.  
  
Sarah pushed Paige back in her chair and began cleaning her wound.  
  
"I sat there for two days! Two! Then I had to fight off some stupid oaf's passes at me. I'm lucky to have got such a nice old man to do my tattoo. And to top it off I had to fight to get my blades back and still had to leave one behind."  
  
Talking about her blades reminded Paige that she still needed to clean two of them.  
  
She pulled the one blade from her boot and took the cloth her mom had used to clean out her shoulder and began to wipe the blood off the steel. When the steel gleamed back at her Paige replaced it into her boot. Carefully she pulled the chain out from under her shirt and held blood in its sheath. She drew the blade and began to clean the blood she had missed earlier from the steel.  
  
"You had to use blood?" Zailer asked.  
  
"Well I wasn't going to, but the soldier ended up behind me with my own knife against my throat."  
  
"I've still never known you to use blood in a panic. You don't use it unless someone really makes you mad. Isn't that why blood is named that?"  
  
"Yes. Blood is called such because I only use it when someone makes my blood boil. But this guy did," she said sheathing blood and putting it back around her neck.  
  
"What happened?" Sarah asked coming over to Paige with a thread and needle.  
  
Paige told them about the old man who was so nice to her all the way through to her arrival at the cave. While she talked Sarah sewed up her wound.  
  
"Paige." Zailer said seriously. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for you to get caught."  
  
"I know Zailer. Please try not to worry about it. Those things I said earlier I didn't mean. You know that as well as I do. I was just angry. And besides my new tattoo is beautiful and I didn't have to pay a cent for it," she smiled happily and looked at her 'X'. Paige wondered silently to herself what color the flowers were, and why the old man had made them closed.  
  
"Paige?" Sarah called, but Paige didn't hear because she was so lost in thought.  
  
"Paige," Sarah repeated. "Paige!"  
  
"Oh.what? Sorry." Paige replied shaking herself mentally.  
  
"You should get some sleep. Give you body time to heal. You look exhausted."  
  
"Yes mother. I believe I should. I am very tired. I haven't slept well for the past two days," Paige said teasingly to Zailer.  
  
"Good night Paige," he replied. "I'm going to bed as well. Good night mom."  
  
"Good night you two," Sarah replied standing and kissing her children on their foreheads.  
  
Paige walked down yet another tunnel into a smaller cave. This served as her room. She had a small bed that they had used the horses and dragged into the cave when they left their home. Next to the bed there was a small flat stalagmite that Paige used as table. She kept her clothes in a small trunk on the other side of the room. The trunk was another of the things they were able to save when she, Sarah, and Zailer had moved.  
  
Paige removed her waist sheath and placed it on her end table. Next came her wrist, boots and thigh sheaths. She sat down on her bed and pulled off her black boots then stood up again and walked over to her trunk and pulled out her nightclothes. Quickly she pulled off her blood stained tunic and breeches and replaced them with an overly large tunic that reached past her knees. It had been one of her fathers.  
  
Paige slowly crawled into her bed and blew out the candle. Sitting in the dark, Paige pulled blood off her neck and hung it on her headboard where it could easily be reached if needed. Paige snuggled deeper under her blanket and closed her eyes, wondering how blood's ruby had lit up so brightly, and waited for sleep to come. 


	2. In town

*A/N* Ok I know everyone hates these but please stick with me. I just wanted to tell you guys that Loki-Gurl16 has some really great stories out and she is seriously hurtin for reviews. So go check her out. Yeah that's it… On with the story!   
  
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In the morning Paige awoke as usual and her hand reached under the pillow for the flint she used to light her candle to find it missing.  
  
'Gods. Its gonna be one of those days,' she thought, climbing out of bed.  
  
Just as she usually did, Paige grabbed Blood and it around her neck. As she did this, the ruby glowed with enough light to show her where she was going.  
  
"What…" Paige started, staring at the shining stone.  
  
Her hand rose to hold Blood. Using the light she noticed her fling lying on the floor next to her bed. She walked over, letting go of Blood, and picked it up. She lit her candle. Going to use the candle light to see what was making Blood's ruby glow Paige picked up the knife again only to find that it had gone out.  
  
'Interesting,' she thought to herself as she changed into a large, lose, maroon skirt and white tank top blouse. Quickly she put on her flat, brown, lace-up sandals and hurried through the tunnels to the living cave.  
  
"Good morning Paige," Sarah said setting a plate in front of Paige, who had sat down at the table.  
  
"Good morning mom. Thanks for breakfast," Paige replied and began to eat. "I'm gonna go clean up Dark Fyre when I'm done eating."  
  
"Zailer was going to, but that animal is just as stubborn as you. He wouldn't let Zailer come close to him," Sarah said.  
  
Paige giggled and pushed back from the table and took her plate to her mom.  
  
Still giggling slightly she walked out to Dark Fyre's field.  
  
"Fyre! Fyre come here!" she called as she came closer to the field.  
  
Dark Fyre looked up from his grazing and noticed Paige standing on the outskirts of his field. Slowly he trotted over to where Paige stood.  
  
"Ah Fyre, come on. I'm sorry I didn't take care of you last night. I was kinda hurt," Paige explained. To prove her point Paige moved her hair so that her stitched up wound showed. Dark Fyre nickered and nudged Paige's other shoulder.  
  
"Oh sure. Now your gonna be nice to me," Paige teased. She pulled out a currycomb from the basket she had brought and began to comb Dark Fyre down. "Hey boy. You wanna head into town today and check out what's going on after last night?" Dark Fyre nudged her again. "Alright then. We ready to go?" Dark Fyre lipped her skirt impatiently. "Alright. Lemme go tell mom and grab one of my other knives."  
  
Minutes later Paige was galloping towards the Mire, her leg sheath resting against the inside of her thigh. As they closed in on the entrance gate to the Mire she slowed Dark Fyre to a walk and entered the city.  
  
She and Dark Fyre wandered through the city keeping an eye out for new thieves trying their hands out on pick pocketing from the bags that tended not to pay attention to their coin pouches. She fingered the lump under her shirt that was her moneybag as she looked.  
  
It was this moment that she saw a beautiful black appaloosa horse with white speckles on its rear. The horse looked strong and majestic.  
  
After admiring the horses for some moments she noticed the boy standing next to him. Boy was not exactly the right word. He stood at near 6 feet, which towered over her own 5'3 body. His hair was dark red and shown beautifully in those early afternoon sun. As he talked to the owner of the stable that he was going to leave his horse with he stood with arrogance though his visage suggested that he was no more than 17 years old, dressed in fine clothes which gave the impression he was a noble.  
  
"Sure acts like one huh Fyre," she asked quietly. Dark Fyre snorted in reply.  
  
Paige laughed and nudged her horse towards the stable. The noble boy had just begun to walk his horse into one of the stalls when Paige reached the owner.  
  
"'Ello Paige," a stable hand called.  
  
"Hello Anthony," Paige responded as she dismounted.  
  
"See ta Fyre for ya?" Anthony asked as he approached the two of them.  
  
"If ya don't mind. That'd be great. Where's Daniel?"  
  
Anthony pointed to a man who was following after the noble boy.  
  
"Alright. Thanks Tony. I'll be back before you leave. If I ain't just let Fyre out. He'll find me," Paige said as she walked towards Daniel.  
  
"Will do Paige. Good ta see your still out."  
  
"I'm sure," Paige laughed as she tossed a silver coin over her shoulder to Anthony.  
  
"We will be sure to take good care of your horse, sir," Daniel told the noble.  
  
Paige stood just outside the stall door and waited for Daniel to come out. She didnt have to wait long before the two men walked out.  
  
"Hey ya Daniel. I left Fyre with Tony. He'll be here all day."  
  
"Sure Paige,"Daniel replied smiling as she placed two silver coins and one copper one into his palm.  
  
Daniel nodded to the two teens and retreated into a stall three doors down.  
  
Paige was about tot walk off when the noble boy cleared his throat.  
  
"Hello," he said.  
  
"Hello," Paige replied without turning around. "Good bye," she refused to be intimidated by this boy.   
  
Paige began to walk back towards the busy market when she heard heavy steps behind her.  
  
"Is there a reason you are following me?" she questioned still not turning around.  
  
"Yes actually. I was going to request your company for a few moments. I am new to this city and it seems that you know your way around here," he said in a superior voice.  
  
Paige whirled around and fixed him with a cold stare from her stormy grey eyes.  
  
"Look. I don't know what you think I am but I am going to walk away and pretend you never said anything to me," Paige said venomously.  
  
"Oh. I am terribly sorry fair lady. I did not mean to imply anything other than you being familiar to the whereabouts of things in this city. I meant no disrespect by the comment. I beg your forgiveness," the boy said, seeming to turn on the noble charm. "Might I make it up to you by treating you to lunch?"  
  
Realizing that this was a perfect opportunity for a free meal she decided that she would go along with his belief that she was a lady.  
  
"Well kind sir, then it is I that should apologize. I should not have been so quick to judge your motives. I would be honored to accept your invitation for lunch. Might I inquire to thy name."  
  
"My name is Tristan of Vantage Point in Tortall. No apology lady. I should have chosen my words more carefully."  
  
"Okay then sir Tristan of Vantage Point we can go to a little bakery down the street and have a lunch of ham, cheese and bread if you wish."  
  
"Lead on Lady Paige," Tristan said as he began walking next to her.  
  
Upon hearing "lady" in front of her name Paige stopped, startled.  
  
"Lady Paige? Is something the matter?" Tristan asked with concern on his face.  
  
"Oh. No. Nothing is the matter Sir Tristan. It is just that I have become so unacostome to hearing that name it startles me," she answered and resumed her stroll.  
  
"And why is that?" Tristan inquired, matching her pace.  
  
"Oh it is just that I have most people just call me Paige."  
  
"Yes. Well with such a lovely name it does seem rather difficult to categorize it with such commonness as 'lady.' I again beg thy forgiveness."  
  
"My aren't you a flatterer," Paige said, playing the part of a noble lady.  
  
" The truth is not flattery, Lady Paige."  
  
"Please Sir Tristan call me Paige only."  
  
"Then it shall be done. But you must call me Tristan."  
  
"If you insist."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Well then Tristan we are here," Paige said stopping in front of a small bakery with outdoor eating area.  
  
They sat down and soon had their food placed in front of them. As they ate, they discussed the reason why a Tortillian would venture to Emelan. Paige learned that Tortall's prestigious mage, Master Numair Salmalin, had come to request the assistance of a few of the head mages at Winding Circle. He also was here to request assistance from Honored Moonstream and Master Niklarn Goldeneye.   
  
"You know Niklaren Goldeneye?" Paige asked in disbelief.  
  
"I study under him. I have the gift to control darkness."  
  
"So you study under him? That is so interesting."  
  
"Yes, well I just started since we have been in Emalen. We are staying at Winding Circle. I just come here with two of their dedicates and their four former students."  
  
"That is quite interesting. I'm sorry Tristan, I really should be going," Paige said standing and turning to walk away.  
  
Tristan was immediately on his feet. He made a grab for her right hand and when they connected Paige turned around and looked at him.  
  
"Please join me for lunch tomorrow? I would really enjoy getting to know you more."  
  
"I would like that. But now I must part. Should I again meet you at the stables?"  
  
"Yes. That would be lovely," Tristan said and brushed his lips over her knuckles. "May I accompany you back?"  
  
"If you wish," Paige smiled with her answer.  
  
"I do," Tristan said leaving money on the table to pay for the meal. "I should pick up Constellation any ways."  
  
"Constellation. That is your horse's name then? Beautiful creature," Paige said unable to keep her amazement of the animal from her voice.  
  
"The lady knows horses?" Tristan asked intrigued.  
  
"A bit. I know a fine horse when I see one."  
  
"I am surprised. Most ladies would not be able to tell what kind of horse they rode. I do so look forward to seeing your horse."  
  
"Do you now? Well you shall get the chance soon. Please stay a safe distance away though. He does not do kindly with strangers." 'Or family,' she added silently to herself.  
  
They reached the stable a few minutes later and were greeted by Daniel and Anthony who were playing horseshoes.  
  
"Hey Paige. Pickin' up Fyre?" Tony asked as his horseshoe tapped the metal stake.  
  
"Yes. I shall be on my way. IF you are to busy I can go pick up Fyre myself."  
  
"Oh no. No I'll get him for you," Anthony said and walked down the row of stalls towards Dark Fyre's."  
  
"Will you be wanting Constellation sir?" Daniel asked Tristan.  
  
"Yes. Thank you."  
  
Daniel walked down towards Constellation's stall leaving Tristan and Paige alone.  
  
"Paige. I would really enjoy seeing you again."  
  
"Then you shall," Paige responded as Anthony brought Dark Fyre to her.  
  
Paige was slightly shocked to see a lady's bridal and saddle on him, but Dark Fyre acted as if he wore one all the time. Paige caught Anthony's eye and he winked at her.  
  
"Here you are Lady Paige," Anthony said with a smile.  
  
"Thank you Anthony," Paige glared at him slightly before regaining her "lady like" composure.  
  
She mounted gracefully, hoping that it looked the same as most ladies did. She despised riding sidesaddle but it was required of a lady to ride in such a way.   
  
"Your horse is beautiful. His black mane and tail set off the copper of his coat perfectly," Tristan said admiring Fyre. "What an unusual sock though," he said examining Dark Fyre's right front leg. "It looks like black fire burning from his hoof up to his knee."  
  
"It is his name sake," Paige replied, patting Dark Fyre on the neck. "And now I must be leaving you. I will return here tomorrow."   
  
"Then I shall see you here," Tristan answered and mounted Constellation.   
  
Paige turned Dark Fyre around and guided Fyre through the crowd. When she saw that Tristan left, Paige returned to the stable to return her borrowed tack.   
  
"Hey Tony, thanks a lot. I owe you."  
  
Tony turned around and smiled.  
  
"I'll hold you to that. Now might I ask why you came back."  
  
"To return your tack."  
  
"Come now Paige. If you were to return tomorrow to see Sir Tristan and rode the way you normally do, do you think he would buy that you were a lady? No he wouldn't. Though, why you are pretending to be one confuses me."  
  
"He thought I was one and I just let him continue to believe that I was. Though I don't know how he thought that if I am dressed like this," Paige said shaking her skirt to prove her point.  
  
"Even though you don't dress like them Paige, you carry yourself like a lady."  
  
"Well if you say so. Alright well I need to get home before mom sends Zailer looking for me," Page laughed and swung one leg over so she would ride how she usually did.  
  
"You might want to ride sidesaddle until you reach the city limits. You never know who you might run into."  
  
"Your right," Paige groaned and resettled herself so she could sit sidesaddle again. "I'll bring this back to you tomorrow then."  
  
"Alright Paige. See you tomorrow, lady," Tony said walking back over to Daniel and collecting his horseshoes.  
  
Paige turned Dark Fyre and headed down the thinning crowd and out of the city. As soon as she was out of sight from the city she swung her right leg over the saddle and settled in. When she was comfortable she patted Dark Fyre on the neck and asked, "You wanna go for a run before we go home?"  
  
In response Dark Fyre flicked his ears back in Paige's direction and pulled slightly on the rein, but would do no more until Paige allowed it. Paige dropped the reigns to give Dark Fyre enough slack to put his head down and grabbed a small amount of mane so that she would not fall off when Dark Fyre took off."  
  
"Go ahead then boy."  
  
Darks Fyre quickened his pace to a trot, then gallop, then full out canter. Paige crouched low so that she did not create too much wind resistance. The two flew through across the turain, moving in synchronized motion.   
  
Their short run ended up lasting until after sun set and wen they finally reached home it was well after dark. Just as they entered sight range of the cave Paige saw Zailer putting a saddle on what looked like a shadow.  
  
"Zailer! No need to saddle Whisper! I'm home," Paige called as she rode up to him.  
  
"Mother is worried sick, Paige," Zailer scolded. "She says your still to injured to be out and straining your shoulder like that."  
  
"Ok Zailer."  
  
"Ah! What is with the saddle? You know that it's to heavy for you to be lifting in your condition."  
  
"Please Zailer. Don't lecture me about my injury. I didn't lift the saddle. Anthony from the stables in town did," Paige explained when Zailer gave her a perplexed look.   
  
"And why is that?"  
  
"I'll explain when we get inside so that way mom doesn't have to ask too. Help me unsaddle Dark Fyre."  
  
Dark Fyre stood staring impatiently at the two siblings. He snorted and Zailer undid the buckles on the saddle and pulled it off Dark Fyre's back. When Zailer lifted his bridal off, Dark Fyre walked over to where the solid black shadow that was whisper stood.  
  
"Now let's go inside so mother doesn't worry herself to death," Zailer suggested as he pulled back the bush that concealed the entrance to their home.  
  
When Paige walked into the living area she was greeted by a very worried and irritated looking Sarah.  
  
"Paige! Where have you been!? You should not be out over extending yourself."  
  
"Mom its ok. I took care of myself. As to where I was…you'll never guess what happened today."  
  
Paige told them all about her meeting Tristan and ended with Tristan saying that he wanted to see her again tomorrow.  
  
"Again tomorrow!? That is wonderful. I shall help you get ready tomorrow," Sara exclaimed.  
  
"No mom! It's all right. I really don't know if I'm even going to see him tomorrow. I'm sure he meets so many ladies in a day that he won't even remember 'Lady Paige'."  
  
"Just in case Paige. It is good to see my daughter around nobles."  
  
"Yes well if you say so mom. I'm not hungry. I'm still full from lunch. I'm going to bed. See you two in the morning," Paige said.  
  
She stood and walked to her room. When she reached for her table candle she noticed a slight glow from under her shirt; she pulled it out and realized that it was blood's gem again.  
  
'This is to weird,' Paige thought as she readied herself for bed.  
  
When she was ready and dressed for bed she climbed into her bed and pulled the covers up. She thought about all that had happened to her and smiled.  
  
"Not a bad day," she said quietly. "Tristan wasn't to bad looking either."   
  
She smiled and turned over in her bed and put her back to the entrance and fell asleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Hey guys! If you are reading this then I guess you got to the end and my chapter didn't suck to bad, or you absolutly hated it and are looking for the end so you can flame me. Either way please review? *Bambie eyes* Please?  
  
Sorry that I didn't get to answer any reviews. I will next chapter I promise. 


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